Process for preparing phosphoric esters of substituted umbellipherone, and pesticidal compositions obtained thereby



PROCESS FOR PREPARING PHOSPHORIC ESTERS OF SUBSTITUTED UMBELLIPHERONE, AND PESTICIDAL C OMPOSITIONS OBTAINED THEREBY Raffaello Fusco, Giuseppe Losco, and Cesare Augusto Peri, Milan, Italy, assignors to Montecatini Societa Generale per llndustria Mineraria e Chimica No Drawing. Application April 10, 1956 Serial No. 577,204

Claims priority, application Italy April 14, 1955 9 Claims. (Cl. 167-33) This invention relates to a process for preparing phosphoric esters of substituted umbellipherone and pesticidal compositions obtained thereby.

Dialkoxythiophosphoric esters of hydroxy-coumarin and various derivatives thereof have been prepared in the past by means of a procedure used in preparing dialkylthiophosphoric acid, but adding powdered metallic copper.

Compounds obtained in the afore-said manner which are known to possess insecticidal power comprise 7 hydroxy-coumarin (umbellipherone) derivatives, characterized by alkyl substituents in the 4-position and halogens in the 3-position of the umbellipherone.

We now made the unexpected discovery that the introduction of a closed ring methylene chain between the 3- and 4-positious of umbellipherone would result in compounds of particularly high insecticidal activity coupled with a low toxicity toward warm-blooded animals.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a new class of esters of thiophosphoric acids, having the general formula wherein R represents a lower alkyl and n represents the integers 3 and 4. In other words the substitution of the umbellipherone with a straight or branched chain saturated hydrocarbon forms, together with the carbons in the 3- and 4-position, a pentaor hexa-atomic ring.

It is another object of the invention to provide methods of preparing these compounds.

More particularly, this class of new compounds consists of dialkylthiophosphoric esters of 3-4trimethyleneumbellipherone or of 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone, if desired with alkyl substituents in the methylene chain.

We found that these compounds display extremely interesting insecticidal properties which makes them particularly useful in the control of the housefly, including those strains of the housefly that have become resistant to the usual chlorinated insecticides.

Of the herein disclosed compounds, the 0,0-diethylthiophosphoric ester of 3-4-tetramethylene urnbellipherone has attained particular importance because of its physico-chemical properties which make it highlypersistent, say, on walls treated therewith, and because of its extremely low toxicity toward warm-blooded animals (as will appear further below, in connection with experiments carriedout with mice);

nited States Patent The herein claimed products are obtained by reacting an 0,0-dialkylthiophosphoric acid halide of the general formula 7 wherein R represents a lower alkyl and X represents a halogen (chlorine, bromine or iodine) with a heterocyclic phenolic compound of the general formula heterocyclic phenol as such instead of the alkaline salt thereof, together with a basic compound that is sufliciently alkaline to bind the hydro-halogenic acid that is Useful for this purpose are sodiumor potasformed. sium-hydrate, -carbonate, -methylate or -ethylate, etc.

After removal of the reaction byproducts, the desired compounds are obtained as solids, which may be purified, crystallization from suitable organic sol--.

if desired, by

vents.

The compounds of this invention may be employed; in

a number of ways. They may be suitably diluted or extended by mixing with liquid, semisolid or solid carriers (to form a dough with the semisolid carrier); whereby various wetting, adhesive, dispersing and emulsifying agents may be added according to principles generally known in the art.

Moreover, these substances may be dispersed in the air by fumigation or in form of aerosols. Other insecticidal materials, such as dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane, the gamma isomer of hexachloro-cyclohexane,

octachloro-4,7-methanetetrahydroindane as well as other phosphoric and triophosphoric esters, or fungicidal compounds, such as copper sulfate, dithiocarbamates, thiocyanates, and pyrethrum extracts as well as synthetic.

pyrethrine, may be associated therewith.

The following examples are presented to illustrate the invention,. without intention, however, of limiting thereby the scope of the appended claims.

EXAMPLE 1 20.2 gr. of finely powdered 3-4-trimethylene-unbellipherone, followed by 16.1. gr. of 0,0-dimethyl-thiophosphoric acid chloride are added to a solution of 2.3 gr. of

metallic sodium in cc. of methyl alcohol. The mix- .ture is stirred for 3 hours at 15-20 C., whereupon 200 cc. of water and 100 cc. of a 4% aqueous caustic soda solution are added. A solid substance separates, that is filtered and thoroughly washed with water. It is crys- Y tallized from a warm mixture of benzene-petroleum ether (1 l 14.2 gr. of needle-like crystals are obtained, having a i 3 .P.. of 88-89.- C. Thev analysis agrees with the formula CHr-CH:

CH2 CHsO C ,5. GHQ O EXAMPLEJZ 20.2 gr. of 3-4-trimethylene-umbellipherone are added to a solution of 2.3 gr. of sodium in 100 cc. of ethyl alcohol, followed by 18.9 gr. of 0,0-diethyl-thiophosphoric acid chloride. Upon operating as set forth in Example 1, 14 gr. of needle-like crystals are obtained, having a M. P. of 8 5 8'6 C. The product consists of the.'O ,O diethylethiophosphoric ester of .3-4-trimethylene-umbeh lipherone.

EXAMPLE 3 24 gr. of finely powdered sodium salt of 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone are added to a solution of 21.7 gr. of 0,0-diisopropyl-thiophosphoric acid chloride in 100 cc. of acetone. The mixture is refluxed for 3 hours and, after cooling, poured into 400 cc. of water. 400 cc. of 4% NaOH are added while vigorously stirring, and 35 gr. of a solid substance are obtained, that is crystallized from boiling methyl alcohol. The product consists"of the '0,0-diisopropyl thi'ophosphoric ester of 3 4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone, which forms needlelike crystals'h'aving a M. P. "of '112'114' C.

EXAMPLE 4 108 gr.-of 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone and 95 gr, of diethyl-thiophosphoric acid chloride are added to a solution of 1 1.5 gr. o'fmetallic sodium in 750 cc. of

methyl alcohol. The mixture is refluxed for half an hour, and poured into 2' liters of water, while stirring. The solid product is filtered OE and thoroughly washed with water. After drying, it is treated with; 300 cc. of petroleum-ether. 113 gr. of a crystalline substance are obtained, having a'M.*P.'of'84-86 C. After subsequent crystallization from a benzene-petroleum ethermix'ture (1:1), colorless needles are obtained, having a M. P. of

. 86-'88 C- The analysis agrees with-the formula C'Hi 'cutn'o czHio If the-alkaline reaction mother-liquor is acidified with HCl', 33' gr. of unchanged tetrarnethylene-umbellipherone are recovered.

EXAMPLE 5 23.8-gr. of finely powdered 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone and gr. offinely powdered anhydrous p0 tassium carbonateare-added to 100 cc. of acetone. The mixtureis stirred atroom temperature for one and one half hours, whereupon 191gr. of the O',O'-diethyl-thiophosphoric acid chloride are added to the mixture, which is then refluxed for 3 hours. After-cooling, 400 cc. of water and 100 cc. of 4% NaOH are added. The product (36.gr.=) collected on-a filter, and crystallized from benzene1petroleum'ether, melts at86-88" C. It represents the O',O-diethyl thiophosphoric ester of 3 -4-tetramethyl' ene-umbellipherone see formula of Example 4).

EXAMPLE 6 21.6 gr. of '3-4-trimethylene-umbellipherone are :added to 'a 'solutlon of 23 gr. of metallic sodiumirn 100 cc. of methyl alcohol. The mixture is stirred 01215 minutes and, at a temperature of C., 16.1 gr:; of Q, O -di- Evaluation of the biological activity of thecompounds described in the foregoing examples.

EXAMPLE 7.HOUSE.FLY

The following 11116311 percent mortalities havefheen. obtained after '20'hours, by topic application, with a microsyringe, of:.an acetonic solutionnf the test products, on house flies 5 days old..

'y/fly 10 2 0.4

Percent mortality after 20.hours O, Ofitnrethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3-4- trimethylene-umbelllpherone 100 92 59' 12' O, O-diethyl-thlophosphoric ester of. 3 Marimethylene-unit:elllpherone 100 100 100 0, O-diisopropyl-thiophosphoric ester tetramethylene-umbellipherone r 36 0* 0 O, O-dlethyl-thiophosphorle ester of 3, 4 i

tetramethylene-umbelllpherone .100 Y 100 -87 0, O-dimethyl-thiophosphorie ester of 3, 4-

tetramethylene-umbellipherone 86 59 I5 0 Through tharsal absorption, by introducingfemale flies 5 days old in beakers previously treated with checked amounts of benzenic solutions of the active test .substances, and leaving the flies for 20 hours in contact with the material, the following mortalities have been ascertained: l

1 Percent? grJmq. mortality after 20 j hours 0, O-dimethyl-thlophosphoric ester of 3,4-trlmeth- 0. 025 28 ylene-umbellipherone 0. 100 0, O-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3, 4-trlmethyl- 0. 005 29 ene-umbellipherone 0. 025 97 0, O-diethyl-thiophosphorie ester of 3, 4-tetra--. 8g methylene-umbellipherone 125 m0 EXAMPLE 8.APHIS"'FABAE By-spraying. a population of-female, Apter-a, Virgina-- parous aphids on bean plants, .in .standardconditions, with an aqueous dispersion. of conveniently formulated test substances, the following mean .mortalities have. beenobtained after 24 hours:

Cone; Bercent percent. mort. act. after 24 "subst. .hours 0, O-dimethyl-thlophosbhdrlc ester f-3 4-trlmeth- .051 2 ylene-umbelllpherone p v 0.5 15 O, O-diethYl-thlophosphorlcester of 3 '4-trlmethyl- 0; 1 4 ene-umbellipherone- 0. 5 60 O, O-diisopropyl-thiaphosphoric est V I methylene-umbellipherone 0,1 2. O, O-diethyl-thiophosphorie ester of 3,4-tetramethylene-umbelllpherone 0. 5 .25 0,0 dimethyl thiophosphoric Jester of 3,4'-tetramethylene-umbellipherone 0. 5 10 EXAMPLE -9..TEITRAN YGHUJS T ELARIUS By sprayinga mixed acarus population, in different stages of development, on bean ,plantsin standard .con.- ditions, with an aguepus dispersion oftthe test substances, 7

conveniently formulated, the following mean mortalities have been obtained after 24 hours:

cone. Percent act. mort. subst. after 24 hours 0, O-dlmethyl-thiophosphorie ester of 3, 4-trimethylene-umbellipherone 0. 5 70 0, O-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3, 4-trimethylene-umbelllpherone 0. 5 60 O, O-diiopropyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3, 4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone 0. 1 5 0, O-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3, 4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone 0. 5 15 0, O-dimethyl-thiophosphorle ester of 3, 4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone 0. 5 15 Acute oral toxicity determination of some of the herein disclosed compounds EXAMPLE 10 1 Cause only 30-40% mortality of the treated animals.

We claim: 1. The method of preparing thiophosphoric esters of the general formula wherein R represents a lower alkyl and n represents the integers 3 and 4, said method comprising introducing the finely powdered halide of an 0,0-dialkylthiophosphoric acid of the general formula wherein X is a halogen taken from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine, and a heterocyclic phenolic compound of the general formula thiophosphoric esters of wherein R represents a lower alkyl and n represents the integers 3 and 4, said method comprising introducing the finely powdered halide of an 0,0-dia1kylthiophosphoric aicd of the general formula /ii no s wherein X is a halogen taken from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine, and a heterocyclic phenolic compound of the general formula one.

I O O i into a solvent for at least one of said compounds, said wherein R represents a lower alkyl and n represents the integers 3 and 4.

4. The 0,0-dimethy1-thiophosphoric ester of 3,4-trimethylene-umbellipherone.

5. The 0,0-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3-4-trimethylene-umbellipherone.

6. The 0,0-diisopropyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3-4- tetramethylene-umbellipherone.

7. The 0,0-dimethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone.

8. The 0,0-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3-4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone.

9. A fly-killing composition consisting of the 0,0-diethyl-thiophosphoric ester of 3,4-tetramethylene-umbellipherone as one of the active components and a member taken from the group of insecticidal compounds consisting of dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane, the gamma isomer of hexachloro-cyclohexane, octachloro-4,7-methanetetrahydroindane, copper sulfate, dithiocarbamate, thiocyanate, pyrethrum extract and synthetic pyrethrine, as another active component.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Hoffman et al.: Chemical Abstracts, vol. 48 (1954), p. 11, 711.

Schrader Jan. 6, 1953 V 

1. THE METHOD OF PREPARING THIOPHOSPHORIC ESTERS OF THE GENERAL FORMULA 